acacia
Americannoun
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a small tree or shrub belonging to the genus Acacia, of the mimosa family, having clusters of small yellow flowers.
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any of several other plants, as the locust tree.
noun
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any shrub or tree of the tropical and subtropical leguminous genus Acacia, having compound or reduced leaves and small yellow or white flowers in dense inflorescences See also wattle 1
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another name for gum arabic
Etymology
Origin of acacia
1535–45; < Latin < Greek akakía Egyptian thorn
Explanation
An acacia is a kind of tree or bush that grows in very warm climates. If you visit Australia, you're likely to see an acacia. Acacias are found in places like South America, Africa, and parts of Asia, though the majority of acacias grow in Australia. Many acacias have tiny leaves and are covered in thorns, although there are varieties that aren't thorny — still, the name itself comes from the Greek word akakia, "thorny Egyptian tree," probably rooted in ake, or "thorn."
Vocabulary lists containing acacia
Home of the Brave
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Vincent and Theo
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Facing the Lion
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Vast stretches of a once-verdant acacia forest south of Sudan's capital Khartoum have been reduced to little more than fields of stumps as nearly three years of conflict have fuelled deforestation.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
Elephants around Lake Manyara in Tanzania were killing acacia trees by ripping off bark and leaving “pale ghostly white trunks.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
Amira's lowest moment came when a tyre burst as she was travelling through an acacia forest, leaving passengers stranded without any water.
From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025
On the island of Borneo, the district of Sepaku, at least a two-hour drive from any city, was known for its forests of mangrove, acacia and eucalyptus.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2024
The terrain was flat with acacia trees, small bushes, and a few rocks that increased as we went farther into the lowlands.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
